In my previous four articles—“Buddhist Mindfulness Versus Secular Mindfulness, Parts 1–4” (linked below)—we explored the key differences between Buddhist and secular mindfulness in detail. While both have value, their goals and approaches differ significantly. Below is a summary of those differences:
This foundational understanding prepares us to examine how Thích Nhất Hạnh reinterpreted mindfulness for modern practitioners. For a proper understanding of the discussion in this article, readers who have not yet read my previous four articles may find it helpful to do so first.
Thích Nhất Hạnh’s reinterpretation is particularly significant because his mindfulness practices extend beyond the Buddhist context to the secular world. By bridging tradition and modernity, he ensured that mindfulness could serve as a transformative practice not only for spiritual seekers but also for those navigating the challenges of contemporary life. His skillful adaption made mindfulness accessible, relevant, and practical for people of all backgrounds, including those from different religious traditions. Let us now examine his reinterpretation in detail.
Thích Nhất Hạnh’s definition of mindfulness
According to Thích Nhất Hạnh:
Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment. It is the continuous practice of touching life deeply in every moment of daily life. To be mindful is to be truly alive, present and at one with those around you and with what you are doing. We bring our body and mind into harmony while we wash the dishes, drive the car or take our morning shower. (Plum Village 2014)
Here are the key aspects of this definition:
• Mindfulness as energy
Describing mindfulness as a kind of “energy” is uncommon in both the Buddhist tradition and in modern mindfulness teachings. This wording, influenced by contemporary language, highlights the transformative nature of mindfulness.
• Awareness and awakening
Thích Nhất Hạnh emphasized that mindfulness involves not only awareness but also awakening. By stating that mindfulness means “touching life deeply,” he pointed to the importance of engaging with life in a way that leads to profound insight. This insight represents an awakening to the true nature of life, which is the purpose of Buddhist mindfulness.
• “Interbeing” and interconnectedness
He explained that mindfulness is about being “truly alive, present, and at one with those around you and with what you are doing.” This means being fully present and engaged with both the people around us and with the tasks at hand. It fosters harmony within ourselves and with others, recognizing that everything is interconnected and inseparable.
This recognition of interconnectedness is what Thích Nhất Hạnh referred to as “interbeing”—his reinterpretation of the Buddhist teaching of dependent origination. Understanding the “interbeing” nature of reality is considered right view, which is the first element of the Noble Eightfold Path. It not only informs mindful discernment but also deepens the practice’s relevance to everyday life. Moreover, this approach makes the practice accessible to anyone, regardless of their spiritual beliefs.
• The goal and the means are one
According to Thích Nhất Hạnh’s definition, the goal of mindfulness is to be aware and awake to the present moment by touching life deeply throughout the day. The practice itself, therefore, embodies the outcome. A calligraphy by Thích Nhất Hạnh in Plum Village, France, states: “There is no way to nirvāṇa, nirvāṇa is the way.” (Nirvāṇa, a Sanskrit term often translated as enlightenment, refers to the ultimate state of liberation and peace.) This means that mindfulness is not a means to an end. Instead, it is the essence of living fully in the present, where enlightenment is realized in each step of the practice.
Thích Nhất Hạnh’s approach differs from some traditional Buddhist schools, which view enlightenment as a long-term goal, requiring lifetimes of practice. (Ditrich 2016; Sharf 1995) By framing mindfulness as an immediate practice, he empowered us to experience transformation and freedom in each moment, rather than postponing awakening to a distant future. This approach makes mindfulness not only more accessible but also deeply relevant to our daily lives.
• A continuous practice integrated into daily life
Thích Nhất Hạnh stressed that mindfulness is a continuous practice, seamlessly woven into daily activities such as cooking, driving, or showering. It is not confined to meditation sessions but is instead cultivated throughout everyday life.
Thích Nhất Hạnh’s concerns about secular mindfulness
Beyond defining mindfulness, Thích Nhất Hạnh also cautioned against treating it as merely a tool or instrument:
Mindfulness is not a tool or instrument to get something else—whether that something is healing, success, wealth or winning. True mindfulness is a path, an ethical way of living, and every step along that path can already bring happiness, freedom and wellbeing, to ourselves and others. Happiness and wellbeing are not an individual matter. We inter-are with all people and all species. (Plum Village n.d.)
This passage raises several important points:
• Mindfulness is not a tool for personal gain
Thích Nhất Hạnh critiqued how secular mindfulness is often presented as a tool to achieve specific goals, such as healing, success, or wealth. He made it clear that this is not the true purpose of mindfulness.
• Mindfulness as a path
By stating that “true mindfulness is a path,” he referred to right mindfulness within the Noble Eightfold Path. This underscores that mindfulness is not a standalone tool; it must be practiced alongside the other elements of the Eightfold Path.
• Mindfulness as an ethical way of living
Since the Noble Eightfold Path also includes right speech, right action, and right livelihood (the third, fourth, and fifth elements), he indicated that mindfulness encompasses an ethical dimension—one that is often overlooked in secular mindfulness.
• Happiness, freedom, and well-being are present in each step
Thích Nhất Hạnh’s assertion that “every step along that path can already bring happiness, freedom, and well-being” reinforces his teaching that the goal and means of mindfulness are one. Another calligraphy by Thích Nhất Hạnh in Plum Village states, “Peace is every step.” This reflects his teaching that peace and happiness are not distant goals; rather, they can be realized in each moment through mindful living. In contrast, the secular approach often treats mindfulness as a means to achieve specific goals, which is misaligned with its true essence.
• “Interbeing” and collective well-being
Thích Nhất Hạnh asserted that “happiness and well-being are not an individual matter” and that “we inter-are with all people and all species.” This points to the “interbeing” nature of all things and reflects right view in the Noble Eightfold Path, which is often absent in secular mindfulness.
Conclusion
Thích Nhất Hạnh’s reinterpretation of mindfulness skillfully bridges tradition and modernity. He described mindfulness as a kind of energy, emphasized the “interbeing” nature of reality, and taught that the goal and the means are one. This innovative approach makes mindfulness both accessible and relevant to daily life. By staying grounded in the Noble Eightfold Path, he ensured that the path to liberation—the purpose of Buddhist mindfulness—is integrated with the practice itself.
While making mindfulness accessible to secular audiences, Thích Nhất Hạnh also cautioned against reducing it to merely a tool to achieve something else. He maintained that true mindfulness is a path and a way of living that cultivates happiness and freedom for oneself and others.
In the next article, we will explore his innovative teaching of “interbeing,” which is fundamental to understanding his approach to mindfulness.
References
Ditrich, Tamara. 2016. “Buddhism between Asia and Europe: The concept of mindfulness through a historical lens.” In Asian Studies, 4(1), 197–213.
Plum Village. 2014. The art of mindful living. Retrieved from http://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/
Plum Village. n.d. Key teachings. Retrieved from https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/key-teachings/
Sharf, Robert. 1995. “Buddhist modernism and the rhetoric of meditative experience.” In Numen, 42(3), 228–83.
Related features from BDG
Buddhist Mindfulness Versus Secular Mindfulness, Part 1
Buddhist Mindfulness Versus Secular Mindfulness, Part 2
Buddhist Mindfulness Versus Secular Mindfulness, Part 3
Buddhist Mindfulness Versus Secular Mindfulness, Part 4
